A Life to Remember
by regalsgaurdian
Summary: After Regina loses her memory, Emma has to get her wife to fall in love with her all over again. But will she succeed when there's new competition the second time around?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ _I do not own the rights to the characters in this story. AU fic, no magic. Inspired by The Vow. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

"It's all my fault." It came out a barely audible whisper, but it managed to get the Nolan's attention. Which might have had something to do with it being the only thing to pass Emma Swan's lips in the last twenty four hours.

"Emma, don't say tha—"

"I drove her away." A little louder this time. A little more aggressive.

Mary Margaret sighed, resting a comforting hand on Emma's upper arm. She couldn't bare seeing her friend in this state; eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and hair a mess, slumped over the kitchen island with a wedding photo tucked beneath her arm and a half consumed bottle of whiskey perched before her.  
Twenty two days had passed since Regina stormed out, slamming the door in her wife's tear streamed face. They'd had their disagreements throughout the years, but never had they fought like they did on the gusty winter night. Emma wrongly accused Regina of leading on her co-worker, Robin. Regina screamed her defence. Emma cursed. Regina threatened to leave. Emma begged her to stay. Henry hid in his room, hands covering his ears. And Regina packed a bag for the night.

 _"_ _Where will you go?!" Emma croaked, looking out at the howling wind. "You can't drive in this."_

 _"_ _Kathryn's." Regina strode straight toward the door with a mask of steel, not sparing the blonde a second glance. "Take care of Henry."_

 _"_ _Regina, please." Emma sobbed. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm an idiot. We can talk about this. Just—just don't leave."_

 _"_ _We have nothing to talk about."_

 _"_ _When will you be back?"_

 _"_ _I don't know!" The darker woman snapped, fingers curled around the door knob. "But what I do know is that I can't spend the night here. With you."_

And just like that, she was gone. Emma didn't sleep that night. She considered calling Kathryn but the storm prevented her from doing so. She sent Regina's closest friend a text the following morning, asking if her wife was ready to come home, but the response from Kathryn only confirmed the worst; **I** **haven't seen Regina since Friday. Is everything okay?**

Emma's heart sank and her throat closed up. Police discovered Regina's car at the bottom of a lake later that day with both right hand windows shattered, but empty inside. They searched the lake for three whole days but no success - no body found.

Emma remained hopeful for the first week or so, for Henry's sake mostly. But as the days went by, and the amount of times she heard "We'll let you know if we find anything" increased, the blonde fell into despair. Henry moved in with Mary Margaret and David for a few days before the couple became concerned about their friend and took turns staying over at Swan-Mills household.

"You need to eat something." David tells the blonde, sliding the bottle of liquor from her reach. "You're going to make yourself ill. This isn't fair on Henry."

"Where is he?" Emma grouches, wiping her eyes.

"I put him to bed." Mary Margaret answers, taking a seat on the couch. The phone rings and all three look between one another for a moment before David goes to answer. This happened every time they got a call. Emma had almost ripped out the landline once or twice.

"David Nolan speaking. No, this is her friend." Pause. "Yes, yes still here. Ok, we'll be there as soon as possible. Thank you." The fair haired man hangs up, mouth hanging open agape.

"What is it?" Mary Margaret asks hesitantly.

"They found her." He responds, tone laced in disbelief.

Emma blinks. "Wh-what?"

"They found her." David repeats. "Regina. They want us to go and verify that it's her."

"Is she- ?"

"She's alive."

* * *

David broke the speed limit as he and Emma made their way to the hospital. Mary Margaret decided to stay home and look after Henry, phone glued to her hand. The blonde felt her heart beating a mile a minute, making her way inside the hospital.

"Hi. We're here for patient 25." David informs the woman behind the front desk. The woman the police had found lying face down in the mud carried no identification, therefore was referred to as a number.

A nurse arrives, leading the duo to a room at the end of the corridor. Emma freezes in front of the door, the room number 16 seemed to be swirling. David takes her hand, squeezing reassuringly.

"You okay?" He asks softly.

Emma nods, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Let's do this."

David pushes the door open and both step inside. The room was dimly lit and the curtain was drawn half way so only the patient's bottom half was visible. Each step toward the bed felt like a hundred. One more step and she knew.

Emma fell to her knees, a string of sobs erupting her throat. David threw his arms around her, hushing. He knew too.

"It's her." The blonde states in a whimper, eyes glued to her sleeping wife. "It's her."

The doctor strolled in moments later, clipboard in hand and wearing a badge that read _Whale_. "I gather you recognize this patient?"

The pair nod, Whale continues. "That's a relief. She was brought in a couple weeks ago, I was afraid she didn't have any family or friends to contact."

"So, how is she? David queries.

"Physically, she's fine. Perfectly healthy and as you can see, barely a scratch. Though mentally, there may be a few problems. She seems to be suffering from what we call retrograde amnesia. In most cases, it's mild, and all that's forgotten are the past few hours leading up to the injury

Emma swallows, blood running cold. "Is this one of those cases?"

"I'm not saying it's permanent." Whale quickly responds. "But at the moment, she has absolutely no recollection of the past.

* * *

 _TBC, Thoughts? (:_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** Thankyou to all who are following this story, I thought I would update quickly as I'm super excited to write it! Enjoy!_

* * *

 _"I'm not saying it's permanent." Whale quickly responds. "But at the moment, she has absolutely no recollection of the past."_

* * *

 _No recollection of the past._

 _No recollection of the past._

The room span and Emma felt her heart plunging to her stomach. She could hear the faint murmurs of David talking with the doctor but couldn't make out what was being said. She felt sick. This couldn't be happening. Not to her. Not to Regina. Not to their family. A hand on her shoulder startles the blonde from her daze.

"Hey, I'm going to give Mary Margaret a call. I know she'll be waiting anxiously for the news." David informs her, voice soft. "I'll be right back."

"Okay." Emma breathes, barely managing a smile. She takes the seat at Regina's bedside, eyes raking over her wife's sound features. Even now, though she had gotten thinner and dark circles were painted beneath her eyes and her usually olive skin was a touch paler, Emma couldn't help but think she was the most beautiful sight.

The door opens again and Emma half expected David but instead a nurse walks in with a tray carrying two small cups. She confers with Whale for a moment before he makes his exit and the young woman offers Emma a quick hello.

"Miss? Miss, it's time for your pills."

Emma's pulse quickens as she witnesses Regina beginning to stir.

Charcoal eyes flutter open and a horsey voice leaves the patient's lips. "Already? How long was I asleep?"

The nurse smiles at her and nods in Emma's direction. "You have a guest."

Regina tilts her head and their eyes meet. That's when Emma knew. There was a frightening glimmer in those usually loving chocolate orbs. Regina's gaze had lost it's warmth and her stare was bland.

Just like it was to all strangers. There's a moment of silence, until the brunette breaks it.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Regina asks, puzzled brows knitting and that familiar stone mask fixed in place.

And there it was. The words which the blonde was not prepared to hear. They took her by surprise, despite waiting for them to come. She could almost hear her world crashing down around her. She needed to get out, get some air, throw up, anything.

Regina raised an expectant brow while Emma attempted forming speech of some sort.

"I- uh-"

"Regina, hey." David steps up beside the bed, a friendly smile directed towards the brunette. "How are you feeling?"

Regina turns her attention to the fair haired man, looking him up and down while taking note of the ring on his finger. "I gather you're the husband. Perhaps _you_ would like to tell me how on earth I know the pair of you?"

And David realises this wasn't one of the cases Dr Whale had told them about. He glances to Emma who had forgotten how to breathe regularly. The blonde quickly excuses herself before bolting out of the room and down the corridor before exiting the hospital completely. She needed to get away from that ward, and away from her wife who couldn't even remember their wedding day, or their first date, or their son.

David, who had followed quickly behind the blonde grabs at Emma's arm.

"I'm so sorry." He whispers, and Emma breaks down in his arms; shaking as she clings to him, sobbing uncontrollably.

It takes a few minutes of tears until Emma pulls herself together. All cried out. She decides she has to be strong. For Henry.

"She doesn't remember me." The blonde states, voice cracking.

"Whale said it might not be permanent. This is Regina we're talking about, she's bound to remember." David attempts reassuring.

"And if she doesn't? That's my wife in there. My world. My whole life. And she just looked through me like I was-" Emma cuts herself off, swallowing another sob "like I was nothing."

"You need to tell her who you are. Who she is."

"Why? What's the point? She doesn't love me. She doesn't even recognise me."

"Of course she loves you, Emma. She just doesn't remember. You're married. With a son, might I remind you? Nothing changes that."

Emma hangs her head at the mention of their son. Their beautiful five year old Henry, who had asked for his mother back every day since she had walked out.

Once the blonde finally regulates her breathing and wipes away the damp beneath her eyes, David asks. "So what are you going to do?"

"Take her home."

"Well are you going to tell her right away? The doctor said that introducing the patient to new relationships needs to happen gradually."

"I'm not telling her we're married."

"Emma, that's crazy talk. You're not thinking straight right now. How do you plan on keeping that from her? And what about Henry? Are you not gonna' tell her she's a mother either?"

"I don't know!" The blonde snaps. "What do you expect me to do, David? Jog her memories with true loves kiss? Force her to love me? I can't do that."

"You're not forcing her to do anything." David's voice rose to match Emma's. "You're reminding her who the hell she is."

"And what if this is permanent, huh? What if she feels obliged to say with me for Henry." The blonde can feel the tears beginning to well. "Can you imagine it? Because I can. The strained I love you's and the feigned kisses. Her waking up to some stranger in her bed. Despising me. I don't want that!"

"Emma, you're being silly." David calms himself.

"Yeah? Well then _you_ tell me how this works. How do I make someone feel a lifetime of love by telling them 'we're married' or 'we have a son'." Emma demands but gets no response from her friend.

"Alright." David gives in, exasperated. "Then what's the plan?"

"I take her home. We don't mention the marriage. I'll tell her we're roommates. If she regains her memory, then she does."

"And Henry?"

"He's hers."

"Emma no, you can't do th-"

"She adopted him alone."

"Are you hearing yourself?" David begins shouting again. "What if she decides to move out and takes him with her?"

Emma freezes. This was all a nightmare. A very bad, frightening nightmare. Barely a month ago, her life was perfect and now she was contemplating losing both her wife and her son.

"I haven't thought that far ahead."

David sighs, taking Emma's hand and squeezing lightly. "Are you going to be okay?"

"No. But I have to be."

* * *

"Are you ready?" David asks, standing in front of the door to Regina's room. Emma inhales a deep breath, pausing for a moment as she looks down to her hand. She presses a kiss to her wedding band before swiftly removing it and zipping it away inside her pocket.

"Ah. And so the mysterious visitors return." Regina drawls from the hospital bed, watching as Emma and David re-enter the room.

"Yeah." David chuckles, padding up to where the brunette sat up. "We apologise about earlier. It was just a... shock to the system - seeing you alive and not remembering who we are."

"Yes. And dare I ask, who exactly are you? Or will that send you both sprinting for the door again?"

Emma refrains from answering, deciding she'd let David do the talking for now; not wanting to risk another break down.

"Old friends." The man answers, taking a seat.

"I do find it hard to believe that I would allow any friend of mine to walk around wearing something quite that hideous."

She's looking at Emma now. Referring to the red leather. There's a teasing smirk on her lips and the blonde knows she's joking. Just like she used to back before they started dating. And for the first time in almost a month, a genuine smile forms on Emma's lips.

"If I remember correctly, this is what won y-" Quickly cutting off mid-sentence, Emma inwardly scolds herself. Five seconds in Regina's company and she's already messing up.

"You used to like this jacket." Emma finishes and Regina hums, ignoring the slip.

David quickly changes the subject. "So is there anything that you _do_ remember?"

"Very little. My name." Regina chuckles humourlessly. "My parents are both dead. And I work for the Ann Taylor company, time square."

"Actually, you manage it now." Emma corrects, voice betraying her as it almost cracks.

Regina smiles brilliantly at the newfound information and the blonde swears she hears her heart crack in two. She thinks back to the time Regina first snagged the manager job; how happy the brunette was and how smug she felt that her arrogant colleague Sandra missed out. And oh how they celebrated that night. All night and into the early hours of the morning.

"Where am I living?" The voice shakes Emma from her thoughts. David had been filling Regina in about her work.

"With me." Emma croaked, and the two turned to face her. The words to follow were difficult to get out. She wanted to run out again. This was too much. Too difficult. "We're roommates." Just saying it made her stomach churn. Emma wanted to shake her, to scream at her to remember, tell her to snap out of it. Regina's face fell.

"Don't I have any family?" Regina asks, half disheartened half hopeful.

It took everything Emma had not to break down right then. David turns to her, nodding encouragingly. "You have a son. Henry."

"Henry..." Regina repeats in a whisper, and for a second the blonde thinks she might remember something. Anything. "Where is he?"

"My wife is currently watching over him. She wanted to be here, but we didn't want to inconvenience the boy." David explains softly and Regina nods.

"How old?" The brunette asks.

"He's five." Emma responds, and the thought of the boy brings a sad smile to her lips. "He's amazing."

Regina's eyes become teary as she registers the information, lips adopting a watery smile. "And his father?"

Emma and David share a glance, and the man knows it's her place to answer.

"He's adopted." The blonde states and Regina's expression is unreadable.

"I see." Is all that leaves her lips, before she pipes up once again after a beat. "I want to see him."

"Of course." David nods, standing from the cushioned seat. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go and give my wife a call."

Regina nods and David exits the room. "His wife?" The woman repeats with a perfect brow elevating, as if hearing it for the first time. "So you're not-"

"No. No, we're just friends. He's more like a brother to me. To us." Emma cuts her wife off before giving her time to finish. Regina cocks her head.

"His wife - Mary Margaret and I, we met at college. And David, well you guys grew up together."

"I grew up with that man?" Regina quizzes skeptically, a short lived laugh fleeing her lips.

"Yea'." Emma confirms, unsure of how much longer she could keep the act up. Regina stays silent, studying the blonde for what felt like a lifetime.

"And what about us?"

"Us?"

"When did we meet?"

"Oh." Emma mentally prays her disappointment wasn't too obvious.

"We met at their wedding."

A silence fills the room, and Regina just stares at the blonde. Emma clears her throat.

"Well, I'm sure this has been a lot for you to take in. You should probably get some rest." The blonde tells the older woman, rising from her seat. "I'll bring Henry in the morning?"

"I'd like that." Regina nods and Emma offer a hint of smile before turning to leave.

It killed her that she couldn't stay. That she couldn't watch over her wife incase she woke up from a nightmare. That she couldn't kiss her goodbye or tell her how much she loved her. Or let her know how sorry she was for making her leave that night. She couldn't do anything. Because now she was the roommate, and nothing more.

"Wait."

The voice stops Emma in her tracks, causing her to spin on her heels and face the brunette.

"You never told me your name."

"Emma Swan M-" The name dies on the blonde's tongue. "Emma Swan."  
She repeats.

A tight lipped smile forms on Regina's lips. "Goodnight, Miss Swan."

"Night." Emma whispers, turning toward the door. She barely makes it out of the room before the tears begin pouring from her eyes, falling to her knees once again as the pain in her chest only grows more and more excruciating.

* * *

 _Reviews always appreciated!_


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Once again, thank you to all those following, favouriting and reviewing this story so far! I hope you enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

The drive back was quiet. Painfully so. Other than the rain, the only thing to be heard were Emma's muffled sobs. It took a will of steel for David not to cry along with her. He had known Regina most of his life after all, and now all those years of friendship stood for nothing.

When they arrived home, Emma, Mary Margaret and David sit around the coffee table; trying to figure out the best way to deal with their current predicament. Mary Margaret informed the duo she had left Kathryn, Ruby and some of their other friends messages about Regina's condition.

Emma was the first to call it a night. After changing into her nightwear, she quietly slips into Henry's room where she perches on the edge of his dinosaur quilted bed and watches him sleeping peacefully. He looked so innocent, so youthful. All he wanted was for his mother to return home. For his family back.

And that's when the blonde decides she wasn't about to lose him. That she would get Regina's memories to return or have the woman fall in love with her all over again. She managed it once, how hard could it be to do the same again? Because it wasn't just love on the line, it was her life at stake. Without Henry, without Regina, she was nothing. And Emma couldn't even bare to think what would become of her without seeing the two of them from day to day.

Without their casual strolls in the park and day trips to the zoo. Without their bedtime routine where herself and Henry would share a mug of hot cocoa and Regina would scrunch her nose in distaste. Without reading their son a bedtime story before sending him off to sleep. Without cuddling her wife on the couch until the fire burnt out. Without all the precious moments she had once taken for granted.

No. Emma Swan was going to have those moment again if it was the last thing she did.

* * *

"Moooom! Wake up!"

Emma grumbles. Eyes fluttering open as she gathers her surroundings. She must have dozed off in Henry's room, finding that she lay flat out on the edge of his bed which was way too short for her; proven by the aching in her back. The boy lies down to face her, pulling her mouth up into a smile.

"I put a blanket on you." He tells his mother proudly, causing a groggy chuckle to flee rosy lips.

"So you did. Thanks, kiddo."

"You're welcome." He shrugs, a tiny hand playing with blonde locks. Emma studies his adorable little face and her heart swells. She knew it would only be a matter of minutes before he asked wh-

"Is momma coming home today?"

There it was. Emma swallows, contemplating the easiest way to explain the current situation to a five year old.

"Actually, we are going to visit her."

"We are?!" The boy asks, jumping up in excitement. "Where are we visiting?"

"The hospital." The blonde begins as she sits up and pulls Henry onto her lap. "Momma had a little accident, but the doctors have been taking good care of her."

Henry blinks as he takes a moment to register the information, head tilting. "Does she get to ride a moving chair? Jake told me his Momma went to hospital and got to ride in a chair with wheels on it."

"That's because she probably hurt her leg and couldn't walk. _Your_ Momma can walk just fine."

"Oh." Henry says, sounding almost disappointed. "What is hurting her?"

"Well, uh- right now, her heart. See kid, the accident made her lose all her memories." Emma trails off, studying her son's tiny features to make sure he understood. "So now, she doesn't remember anything."

Henry doesn't respond right away. His brows furrow while his forehead creases and Emma can practically see his mind working over time.

"Momma doesn't remember me?" He asks and it cuts through Emma's chest like a knife.

"No, kid." She tells him softly. "She doesn't remember you. Or me. Or anyone. At least not right now. But y'know, that doesn't mean it will be this way forever. There's still a chance her memories could come back."

Henry nods slowly, though his bottom lip begins to wobble after a moment of silence. "Does this mean I'm not Momma's little prince anymore?"

 _Ouch. That one hurt. Really, really hurt._

Inhaling a sharp breath, pulling the boy close to her chest. "You are always going to be her little prince, no matter what. You got that?"

Short arms wrap around her neck and Emma can feel the boy nodding in response. "Good. And when you see her at the hospital, I need you to be really gentle with her. Like you guys are meeting for the first time. This is a lot for Momma to take in too. We don't wanna' scare her, alright?"

"Okay." Henry agrees, dropping his arms to look up at his mother with big brown eyes that were enough to melt her heart. "Can I read her a story?"

"I think she'd like that." Emma smiles softly, ruffling his hair. "Now you need to go get dressed while I make us some breakfast."

"Pancakes with lots of chocolate sauce?!"

"Heaps."

* * *

Emma was dreading the upcoming couple of hours. Dreading being the understatement of the century. It was hard enough keeping it together in front of Henry, never mind with both her wife and son in the same room.

"Can we go now?!" Henry calls out as he bolts into the kitchen with a bulky looking avengers backpack fixed upon his shoulders and a stuffed toy under each arm.

Taking in her son's appearance, Emma can't fight an adoring smile. "Really, kid? Do you need to take both of those?"

The boy nods firmly, hugging the two plush toys to his chest. "I want them to meet Momma too."

"Alright, if they really must." Emma doesn't even bother trying to talk him out of it. Stubbornness was one of the many qualities he had picked up from Regina. "Let's go then."

"Yay!" Henry doesn't need to be told twice, sprinting for the door despite not being able to get out of the apartment until Emma catches up. The blonde had agreed to meet David at the hospital. He had visited Regina earlier that morning; introducing her to Mary Margaret before she had to leave to teach her first class.

Once the bug was parked and Emma spies David waiting outside the hospital building, nerves set in. She had no doubt in her mind that Regina would take to Henry with no problems what so ever, just like she had when they first adopted the boy at six months old. Regina was a natural with him from day one. But Henry could let their marriage slip at any given moment. All he had to do was say the wrong thing and the whole charade was over.

"Uncle David!" Henry shouts, running into his arms.

"Heey there, big guy." The man laughs, lifting the boy for a hug.

"How is she this morning?" Emma asks, stepping up before the duo. And she can't help that her tone is laced with the tiniest bit of hope, despite knowing full well David would have called her if anything had come back to the woman.

"Good. At least she seems okay. Excited to meet this little monkey." David grins, prodding at Henry's cheek and the boy returns a wide beam.

"Alright. Let's get this over with." Emma sighs, breezing past the two boys who follow shortly behind. They make their way down the familiar ward before stopping outside the hospital door. David places Henry down and Emma crouches to his level, addressing him softly "Remember kiddo, be gentle."

"I will, I promise!" He grins cheekily and Emma can see how eager he is. She reaches for her son's hand and Henry holds out one of his cuddly toys.

"You can look after him." Henry tells her, flashing a sweet smile which the blonde mirrors before tucking the cream coloured bear under her arm and taking the boy's hand in her own. She needed the support more than he did right now.

Regina sits flicking through a magazine. She had been far too anxious after Mary Margaret and David left, and needed something to get her mind off the fact she was finally getting to meet her son. The brunette had barely slept a wink the previous night, anticipating the visit. So, she had decided to calm herself with fashion tips and celebrity news. She hears movement behind the door and silently curses the butterflies in her stomach.

David pushes open the door, informing the blonde he'd be a phone call away if she needed him. Emma walks into the room with Henry in tow and Regina's breath hitches.

"Hey." Emma greets softly, stepping up beside the bed.

"Hello, Emma." Regina nods in greeting, directing her gaze to Henry. "And hello you."

"Hi! I'm Henry, your son!" He exclaims enthusiastically, grinning up at his dark haired mother, and the woman's chocolates hues glaze over.

"Yes you are." Regina smiles brilliantly. And it's contagious because Emma finds herself smiling too. Henry looks between the two women, uncertain.

"What is it, kid?" The blonde quizzes warily, taking the seat beside the bed and placing a brown paper bag down on the table.

"Are you allowed hugs?" He asks, gaze fixed to Regina who chuckles in response.

"Why, of course."

Once given the go ahead, Henry doesn't hesitate to strip of his backpack and climb up onto the hospital bed, discarding his stuffed animal before flinging his arms around the brunette. Emma watches the whole exchange, forgetting about the current situation for a moment and allowing tears to prickle at her eyes. She notes how Regina's crying too, clearly overwhelmed.

"I have to be gentle with you." Henry informs his mother, and Regina's eyes flicker up to meet Emma's gaze. They exchange smiles, and the blonde can feel how her pulse quickens. It was impossible to determine which heart melted with more intensity: Regina's or Emma's. Henry pulls back, making himself comfortable on Regina's lap.

"Why are you crying, Momma?"

"These are happy tears, dear... I'm just thrilled to find that I have such a marvellous little boy." Regina explains softly, the name that Henry used only causing more tears to fill her eyes. "I see you brought a friend." She regards with a clearing of her throat, fond smile never faltering.

Henry nods, grabbing his plush toy and holding it out for his mother who takes it in her grasp. "This is Snowball, he's a polar bear and comes from the Arctic. It's cold there so he has a lot of fur."

"Ah. You mean he travelled all the way from the Arctic by himself? What about his family?" Regina plays along, sounding genuinely concerned about the stuffed bear.

"He had to leave them behind. But he has a new one now." Henry turns to his other mother. Reaching out for the dog plush with long floppy ears and dark brown patches to contrast with it's beige body. They had bought it for Henry before he was even their son. Regina insisted everything had to be perfect for his arrival; stressed that his room had to be decorated properly and made sure he had a closet full of varied outfits. Emma had reminded her more than once that a six month old baby wasn't going to judge them on their bedroom decor, but the brunette wanted perfection nonetheless. "This is Waggit! Snowball's bestest friend."

"And here I thought Miss Swan had yet to outgrow her childhood tendencies." Regina offers with a smirk.

Henry frowns at the title and Emma's heart stops for a second, expecting him to comment on it. To the blonde's relief, he turns his attention back to the stuffed animals; acting out a conversation between the dog and the bear.

"Very funny." Emma retorts, shooting the other woman a playful glare. Regina hums smugly.

Henry taps Regina's arm, gaining her full attention once agin. "Would you like me to read you a story?

"I'd like that very much."

Emma and Henry spend another hour in Regina's company and the boy had been extremely busy entertaining his older mother. He had read three full chapters of his fairytale book and managed to empty the contents of his backpack, showing her all his favourite action figures. Regina and Henry were bonding all over again, and Emma thought it was truly amazing to watch; despite being teased by the pair every so often.

"When are you coming home?" Henry asks the brunette as he repacks his bag, the boy had begged to stay longer but it was almost time for kindergarten and both Regina and Emma insisted he didn't miss the session.

"Well, the doctor informed me that he'd like to keep me here for another two days." Regina responds, glancing to Emma. "Just to get paper work sorted out."

"He did?" Emma almost sounds surprised. She hadn't even had the chance to think about Regina returning back home.

"Two days!" Henry exclaims with a clap and Emma feels her stomach lurch with nerves.

"Two days..." Emma echoes.

"I suspect you won't mind picking me up?" Regina quirks a brow.

"Yeah, no. Sure. Of course." The blonde nods and both women turn to watch Henry zip up his backpack.

"So uhm, anymore visitors due today?" Emma asks, absentmindedly reaching out to pull the backpack straps over Henry's shoulders.

Regina observes the two carefully, lips pursing. "Yes, a couple. I was told a woman named Kathryn..?"

"Oh. Kathryn, she's a close friend. Works with you at Ann Taylor." The blonde clarifies, and she can't even begin to imagine how strange it must be for her wife. Being told who her friends were without being able to put a face to the name.

"I see. And a man, if I recall - named Robin Locke."

Emma becomes rigid hearing the all too familiar name. Her jaw steels and her hands ball up into fists. She couldn't decide whether she was angry or distraught. Robin Locke. The whole damn reason her wife couldn't remember she was just that. Without him, there wouldn't have been an argument. Regina would never have stormed out and she wouldn't be sitting next to her fucking hospital bed talking to her as though they were strangers.

Regina's frowning at her, and the blonde realises she's scowling.

"He's a colleague of yours." Emma shrugs a shoulder while rising from her seat, not prepared to offer much more than that.

The brunette merely nods, and Henry pounces on her. "Bye Momma!" He kisses her cheek and Regina barely has the chance to return the hug before he's sliding off the bed again.

"Oh, I uh, brought you a salad for lunch." Emma says, retrieving the brown paper bag from earlier before offering it out to the other woman. "You've always hated hospital food."

Regina blinks, both touched and taken back by the gesture. There's a slight fluttering in her chest that she decides she will most certainly not dwell on later and there's a glint in dusky orbs as they lock with emerald ones. "Thank you." The brunette responds with a genuine smile. It was true, the hospital food over the past week or so had been deplorable to say the least.

"No problem." Emma mirrors her wife's smile. "So I'll be here Thursday to pick you up?"

"Thursday." Regina confirms with a nod. "Goodbye Henry. Be good for Emma."

"I will!" The boy flashes a grin, taking Emma's hand. "Cya!"

Emma chuckles, picking up Waggit from the bed as they begin making their way out. "C'mon, trouble. You're gonna' be late."

Henry looks behind to wave at his mother who willingly waves back, watching as the pair exit the room.

...And Regina can't help but think there's something odd about their relationship. The way they seemed to click. But the brunette persuades herself it came down to living under the same roof. Spending that amount of time together meant some sort of bond between them was inevitable. Yes, that was definitely it.

* * *

After dropping Henry off at the Nolan household, Emma found herself all alone in the apartment for the first time in a long time. Killian, a friend from work was due to drop by to keep her company for a few hours but the blonde knew when he said he'd be over at 8pm, she should expect to see him at 10pm.

Killian was a real ladies man, with his dashing good looks and charming British accent, which was "to die for". His words. Emma had met the man a little over ten years ago when he first joined the U.S. Security Associates. They usually worked the same spots, moving around the city together. Regina had never been shy when it came to demonstrating her dislike for him. Or at least, pretence dislike. Emma knew deep down she enjoyed his company, or rather - _used to_ enjoy it.

Slumping down onto the couch with a bottle of whiskey in hand, the day's events settle into Emma's mind. She was on her own now, which meant no more walls. No more acting. It was exhausting; trying to stay strong around her friends, around Henry, around Regina. Everything hurt. And Emma was slowly becoming numb to the pain. Her eyes trail around the room, studying all the pictures of herself, Regina, and Henry hung up in frames.

Unscrewing the bottle cap, the blonde takes a giant swig of the liquor. And then another. Followed by another. She stands up, sauntering over to the wall where she plucks a picture of their wedding day from it's hook. She stares at it for a long time. Long enough for the alcohol to hit her system. It didn't take much, given how much she was drinking and how little she had eaten in the past 24 hours. Her eyes blurred with more tears and she felt a certain resentment towards the two people in the picture, fingers ghosting over the glass. Then, with a force only alcohol could provide, she flung the picture as hard as she could against the wall where the frame and glass shattered brilliantly. And she doesn't stop there, knocking ornaments from the fireplace and ripping the books from the shelves. She pauses when she comes face to face with their framed wedding certificate, falling to her knees and hugging it to her chest. The despair and pain inside her erupts the blonde like a volcano and her cheeks quickly become wet and salty.

Emma doesn't even notice Killian walking in, the sight before him bringing the man to a still. Glass lay everywhere, books were scattered, pictures lay all over the room and in the middle of all of it sat Emma.

"Emma?!" He calls out in worry, rushing to her side, but the blonde is unresponsive. "What the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Cleaning." Emma grunts.

"Give me the bottle." Killian tells her firmly. Without waiting for an answer, he removes it from her grasp. He lifts her onto the couch, taking the marriage certificate and setting it down on the coffee table. He grabs a broom from the closet and quickly begins sweeping up the mess to the best of his ability before taking a seat beside the blonde, rubbing at his stubble. "Mind telling me what all that was about?"

"Packing up our life." Emma answers and Killian breathes a deep sigh.

"Flinging things across the room is not bloody packing, love." He points out and Emma holds her head in her hands.

"I wanted to put everything about our marriage in a box. That's seven years of our life I'm packing away. Seven years. And she doesn't remember. She doesn't remember anything."

"What are you trying to achieve by all this?" Killian asks, gesturing around the dismantled room. "Why go through all of this trouble to hide something important to you? And her?"

"I guess, I want to see if she'll still love me." Emma answers, shoulders rolling back into a shrug. "I can tell her facts. I can tell her what date her birthday is, about the people she knew, where she grew up. But I can't make her feel things. If I tell her we're married, I will be placing the obligation to love me. And fuck Killian, I can't do that."

"Right. And how are you going to hide something quite this big? Everyone who knows the pair of you, knows that you're married. Your son included. How long do you expect a five year old lad to keep a secret like that?"

"I know, okay?! I know that it's stupid. And I know that it probably isn't going to work and eventually, I'll have no choice but to tell her. Everything. But either way, I need her to figure out for herself what she wants from me."

"And if..."

"If she doesn't love me anymore? If her memory never returns?" Emma let's her eyes fall shut. "Then I let her go."

"You're willing to go that far to make sure she's genuinely happy?" Killian quizzes skeptically. "You're ready to sacrifice yourself so that Regina can fall in love with whoever she wants, even if that person isn't you?"

Emma turns to the man, tone deadly serious. "If I had to die for her happiness, I would."

"Well fuck." Hook breathes. The two of them lose track of time as they sit processing what Emma's words really meant.

"I never thought I'd hear myself say this but, Killian Jones... I think I might envy you. Playing the field means no heartache, right?"

"Don't talk such nonsense, love." Killian breathes a laugh, swigging at the bottle of whiskey still clutched in his palm. "I'd kill to have what you have, with Regina and Henry. Not everyone is lucky enough to find their soulmate and not everyone is lucky enough to experience true love. But I have been lucky enough to witness it over the last decade. What you have with Regina, it's special. It gives others; such as myself, hope that there is someone out there that will make this shitty run we call life all worth it. And you need to hold onto it." He pauses, clasping his hands around Emma's. "She might have lost her memory but she hasn't lost her heart. Look at this as a... testament to your love. A hurdle in your relationship. Prove how strong your love is and beat the bloody universe. Win her back. Fight for her heart like the Emma Swan I've come to know and admire would."

Emma laughs, nudging the man's shoulder. "Aright, slow down Mr Love Guru." She sighs in defeat, moved by her friends words.

After a long drawn out moment, the blonde eventually pipes up.

"You're right. I am going to win her heart again. But I'm doing it my way."

Then, silently, Emma goes to retrieve a large box from the spare closet and sets it down before the dark haired man. Together, they begin boxing away the last seven years of Emma's life with Regina.

* * *

 _I_ _don't know about anyone else, but I really like the idea of Killian and Emma being besties ;-) Don't worry, **he's** not the threat in this story and we need to think about jealous!Regina in the long run. Right? Right. Please leave your feedback, it's very much appreciated. _


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